Looks like this homegrown fighting game tournament has finally grown up.
Filipino Tekken fans have something big to be excited about later this year as Manila Madness V has announced that they’re now a Master Tier event. What started out as a local event for Tekken lovers is now a major stop on the Tekken World Tour.
It only took one year of them being a Challenger event for Bandai Namco to see their potential. With Manila Madness V getting promoted to Master tier, they’re now in the same league as the USA’s Combo Breaker and CEO, South Korea’s SOOP Super Tournament, and Thailand’s Thaiger Uppercut. This means that they’re offering bigger prizes, both monetarily and in TWT points, which will naturally attract bigger competition.
That’s right, after three years of being out of the scene, the Philippines is back on the TWT map. The loss of large events like REV Major still sting to this day, but Manila Major V is bringing that excitement and hype of a true major tournament back. International competition now have even more incentive to travel here to compete, giving local Tekken fans and competitors a chance to face their idols.
Bigger Stage, Bigger Event, Bigger Hype
This is going to be quite the endeavor for Manila Madness V however, as Master events have certain standards. They’re not just an independent group running a tournament anymore. They’re now under the eye of Bandai Namco and the wider international community of Tekken. Not to say they weren’t running their tournament unprofessionally — they must have been doing a good job to get to this level after all. Rather they’ll need to go bigger, both in scale and operations.
While there was some international competition when they were still a Challenger event last year, it’s totally different this time. Not only do we expect more international players, we expect the overall competition to rise as well. There are some serious points on the line and Manila Madness V is going to have to set the stage appropriately to match that hype.
We don’t expect them to be as grand as CEO or Combo Breaker, but a Master event still has to show the world the best the local Tekken community has to offer. The Philippines can show their passion for Tekken once again after being out of the loop for so long. It’s a big responsibility but we’re sure that the Manila Madness V team can take it. They’ve got a lot of time to prepare till September and we can’t wait to see what they’ll cook up.
Images from Manila Madness on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Manila Madness V is a premier Tekken tournament in the Philippines. Earning “Master” status in the Tekken World Tour (TWT) is a massive milestone because it confirms the event as a top-tier international qualifier, attracting professional players from across the globe who are competing for vital circuit points.
Elevating the tournament to Master level provides local Filipino players with a world-class competitive stage in their own backyard. It reduces the financial barrier of traveling internationally to compete for high-level points and brings greater visibility to the talent within the Philippine Tekken community.
In the TWT circuit, Master events offer a significantly higher allocation of global leaderboard points compared to lower-tier tournaments. This categorization solidifies Manila as a key destination in the global esports calendar and helps determine who qualifies for the TWT Global Finals.
Because Master events provide substantial points and prestige, they are high-priority stops for professional players. Fans can expect an influx of international talent traveling to Manila, elevating the level of competition and creating high-stakes match-ups that wouldn’t typically occur at local-only events.
Yes, Manila Madness V reaching “Master” status marks a historic high point for the Philippine fighting game community (FGC). It is widely seen as an endorsement of the growth and passion of the local scene, proving that the Philippines can successfully host world-class international esports events.
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